The book is divided into five major parts. The five chapters of Part I address the contexts in which the children and youth of the United Kingdom develop, with attention to structural disadvantage (class, crime, and poverty); transitions to adulthood; theoretical assumptions about growing up; the attractions and influences on youth as consumers; and bullying in schools. The five chapters of Part II focus on "Research, Knowledge, and Evidence in Youth Justice." These chapters focus on why and how policies and practices in youth justice attempt to be based in objective research that determines what does and does not work in achieving the goals of youth justice. Some of the chapters address how politics, the globalization of youth justice policies and practices, and assumptions about how knowledge is gained influence what policies and practices in youth justice are perceived as "evidence-based." The four chapters of Part III consider "Policy, Possibilities, and Penal Realities in Youth Justice." These chapters discuss how parenting, restorative justice, custody, and ethnicity and identity are encompassed in the United Kingdom's youth justice policies and practices, as well as children's and youths' experiences in the youth justice system. The four chapters of Part IV address features of "Reflective Practice," which refers to the ways in which youth justice practitioners "reflect" upon their experiences and learn lessons under the dominant assumptions, policies, and ethical principles that govern their work. The five chapters of Part V focus on how the international standards for the rights of children and youth have impacted the youth justice systems of the United Kingdom. Chapter references, tables, and a subject index